Slacks rack construction



Nov. 16, .1965 FLEIS HMAN 3,217,893

SLACKS RACK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet :1

.5? :9 SLAQRAC H68 SLACRAC F/6-9 INVENTOR. 4 HDWARD 4. FL E/Scfl/WM/ O 1965 H. A. FLEISCHMAN 3,217,893

SLACKS RACK CONSTRUCTIQN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1962 FIG. 6

United States Patent 3,217,893 SLACKS RACK CONSTRUCTION Howard A. Fleischman, 10135 Long Beach Blvd., Lynwood, Calif. Filed June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 203,632 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-945) The present invention relates to a rack and it particularly relates to a rack for carrying slacks.

Although not limited thereto the present invention will be particularly described in its relation to a rack for displaying slacks, pants, and similar articles of clothing for sale and merchandising purposes.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a more readily accessible arrangement for displaying and selling slacks and for enabling the merchandising thereof, particularly with respect to inspection and sale, which will give maximum space economy.

Another object is to provide a rack arrangement for holding slacks, which may be either permanently mounted in a closet or enclosure, or which may be utilized in connection with a portable arrangement.

Another object is to provide a collapsible or extensible rack for merchandising or storing slacks, which may be collapsed to a relatively small volume when not in use in either the home, store, or showroom, and which when utilized may be extended so as to permit a selection or inspection of the slacks or pants which are to be removed or sold.

A further object is to provide a novel compact arrangement which, although extensible, may be conveniently collapsed within a smaller carrying case for placement in an automobile or a station wagon and readily carried by a salesman to display points.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory to provide parallel inverted U-shaped rail constructions, preferably formed of telescoping members with the support members being desirably of larger tubular diameter than the inside sliding extensible rods or tubes.

In one form of the invention the outside, or larger tube, may be supported on a wheeled leg structure, while the rear inside telescoping rods or tubes are supported on a fixed leg structure which may be mounted inside the closet or enclosure.

For example, the rack may consist of two inverted U structures parallel to each other which have inside legs in the closet which may be permanently or temporarily mounted in position.

These inside legs, in some instances, may be provided with suction cups which will permit them to be mounted inside of a closet. The forward legs of the U frames, on the other hand, may be provided with Wheels or rollers, permitting the rack to be extended along the base portion.

The base portions of the inverted parallel U structures desirably are formed of telescoping tubes which will permit the rack to be extended or collapsed.

The actual supports for the slacks consist of transverse rods having a roughened or coated adhesive surface for holding the slacks in a proper position without slippage.

The ends of these rods may be provided with inverted loops which are placed upon the telescoping rods and which carry the slacks.

Desirably the transverse rods are notched at suitable positions between the side members so as to enable the slacks more readily to be centered and to enhance the non-slippage qualities of the transverse bar.

These bars lend themselves readily to being provided with tags or markers which can be readily inserted on the rods and which enable ready determination of the slack size, price, and material.

In an alternative form of the invention where a sales mans carrying case is employed, there is provided a structural horizontal U member, the side legs of which may carry the telescoping tube structures. These telescoping tube structures will be parallel to the side legs and to each other and transverse to the base of the U structure.

This base U structure may be mounted in the upper part of the carrying case. The top and front sides of such carrying case may be provided with swinging opening devices serving as closures, while the top, side, and bottom walls may be fixed in position. The rods here may also be provided with a roughened face, or with a face provided with a non-transferable cohesive material.

In a preferred form of the invention, the rods are provided with an elliptical or ovular cross section in which the shortest dimension is vertical and the longest dimension is horizontal.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of rack structure showing it in extended position.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 upon a slightly enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional form upon an enlarged scale of the crossbar arrangement upon the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a carrying case having the extensible rack in position therein with the top and front open.

FIG. 5 is a separate view of the rack construction removed from the case of FIG. 4 upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of the case of FIG. 4 with the rack in collapsed position and with the cross section upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a plastic, metal, or paper marking tag which may be applied to the cross rails of FIGS. 1 to 6 for identification of the merchandise thereon.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of an alternative form of the marking tag.

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view showing another form of the marking tag.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown the two telescoping U structures A which are inverted and include outside telescoping tubes B and inside telescoping tubes C.

These U structures have forward vertical legsD and the rollers E and rear fixed legs F. In the embodiment shown, the ends of the legs are provided with the suction cups G which are fixed on to the floor.

Instead of the suction cups G there may be screw mountings or other fixed attachment to the floor of the inside of a closet. Collars N are desirably of such structure that when they are screwed up they will clamp the extensible tubular members in any desired collapsed or extended position.

The cross rods H may consist of tubes or bars, or even of rods of metal, wood, or plastic, and they are provided with an anti-slip coating J. The coating I will hold the slacks K in any adjusted position and prevent them from slipping off the rods. The spaced notches L will also hold the slacks in positionand help center them on the rods.

The ends of the rods desirably have elevated inverted U members M which fit upon the telescoping tubs or rods B and C in any desired position. Desirably the angle or inclination indicated at 20 under the inverted loops M is such as will clamp on to the outside cylindrical face of the rod B under the weight of the rod H and under the weight of the slacks K. It will be noted that the gripping spots are indicated at 21 on the inside and 22 on the outside of the tube B.

The wheels E may be mounted on the lower ends 23 of the legs D by the pivot pins 24. The transverse rods 25 at the front and 26 at the rear will hold the U frame members A in position adjacent to forward bends 27 and rearward bends 28. The rear rod 26 may be fixed to rods C by means of the collars 29.

The identification tags shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 consist of rectangular metal, plastic, or stiff paper members M, P, and Q. Desirably they have openings 45, 46 and 47 and inwardly directed slits 48, 49, and 50.

These slits, 48, 49 and 50 extend inwardly transversely from the lefthand edges 51, 52, and 53 of the markers or tags N, P, and Q. It will be noted that the slits are positioned horizontally below the lower sides 54, 55, and 56 of the openings 45, 46, and 47 and they have the upturned entrance portions 57, 58 and 59 which open directly into the holes 45, 46, and 47 at 60, 61 and 62.

The upper part of the tags may be bent over inwardly as indicated at 63 and carry an indication at 64 of the bent over portion. They may be used to carry the trade mark Slacrac at 63, 64, and 65.

In FIGS. 8 and 9 there are shown other size identifications as indicated at 66 and 67.

In FIGS. 4 to 6 is shown another embodiment with a carrying case or enclosure or having a swinging open front and a swinging open top T. Inside is mounted the horizontal U shaped frame structure V in the interior of the upper portion 60 of the case.

The U structure V carries the two telescoping tubular or rod members X which are formed of the outer fixed telescoping members Y and the inside telescoping members Z.

The structure Y includes the depending rear and forward location pins 85 and 86 which fit into the rear and forward openings 87 and 88 in the frame member V. These stud members 85 and 86 may be welded or soldered at 89 and 90 to the outer tube Y.

The tubes Y and Z are respectively provided with the rear closure 91 and the forward plug closure 92. This forward plug closure 92 has a reduced diameter portion 93, which, when inserted in the outer end 94 of the tube Y, will act as a stop.

The rods H may be of the same construction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the slacks K may be suspended thereon in the same manner previously described.

The identification tags Q may be placed upon the inside tubular members Z in the manner described.

The cover T is hinged as indicated at 95 to the upper end of the back wall 96 of the case R. This structure, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is of light weight and may be readily carried by a salesman on his trips tnd placed conveniently in the rear of a standard passenger car, or in a trunk compartment if necessary.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has devised a system of merchandising and selling slacks useful in a display room, store, or other retail establishment.

The device may also be used in connection with the storage or maintenance of slacks in a home, apartment, or club.

The embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is particularly useful in connection with traveling salesmen and the display and offering of slacks away from the ofiice or showroom.

Although the tubes B and C are shown as telescoping, it also is to be understood that the telescoping may be eliminated and a single U-shaped frame may be employed having the forward legs D, the rear legs F and the top structures A and C.

Furthermore the identification items indicated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are broadly useful for sizing, giving types of merchandise and for other purposes.

In addition the tubular or rod members X and Y also may be made non-telescoping with a single tube being used and connected to the vertical location pins and 86.

As many changes could be made in the above slacks rack constructions, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particlularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A rack for merchandising, selling, displaying and storing slacks and similar articles in a case, said rack comprising a U-shaped mounting means secured to the case, the side arms of said mounting means having pinreceiving holes formed therein, a pair of spaced apart, parallel, tubular members having pins extending downwardly therefrom and being received in said holes on said side arms, extension members telescopingly received in each of said tubular members, and a plurality of transverse suspension rods having central elongated portions at the same height as the tubular members and having inverted integral end V-portions clamped downwardly upon the top of said tubular members or extension members to carry slacks.

2. A rack as defined in claim 1, wherein said rods are provided with a non-slip cohesive coating.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 490,288 1/1893 Hubbard 108--l10 832,625 10/1906 Ryan 312-6 995,805 6/1911 Perry 211--94.5 1,131,722 3/1915 Meyer 211-94.5 1,428,554 9/ 1922 Osterweil 21194.5 2,171,597 8/1939 Beck 248-224 2,447,908 8/1948 Hoots 224-421 2,543,202 2/ 1951 Robinson 22442.42 2,605,030 7/1952 Fischer 223-88 2,645,355 7/1953 Evans 211-104 2,885,090 5/1959 Formann 211-l7 5 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner, 

1. A RACK FOR MERCHANDISING, SELLING, DISPLAYING AND STORING SLACKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES IN A CASE, SAID RACK COMPRISING A U-SHAPED MOUNTING MEANS SECURED TO THE CASE, THE SIDE ARMS OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS HAVING PINRECEIVING HOLES FORMED THEREIN, A PAIR OF SPACED APART, PARALLEL, TUBULAR MEMBERS HAVING PINS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AND BEING RECEIVED IN SAID HOLES ON SAID SIDE ARMS, EXTENSION MEMBERS TELESCOPINGLY RECEIVED IN EACH OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS, AND A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SUSPENSION RODS HAVING CENTRAL ELONGATED PORTIONS AT THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE TUBULAR MEMBERS AND HAVING INVERTED INTEGRAL END V-PORTIONS CLAMPED DOWNWARDLY UPON THE TOP OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS OR EXTENSION MEMBERS TO CARRY SLACKS. 